Decorating a girl's room is one of the most fun interior design projects you can do. There are myriad options for colors, themes and accessories for children's bedroom designs. So, whatever your little girl's interests, you can create an environment that is sure to thrill her.
Picking a Girls' Room Theme
When you start decorating a girl's room, you should involve her in the design choices. Teen-aged girls will probably have some design ideas before you start the project and even preschool girls will have opinions on the things that will make their bedrooms special.
Consider the girl's interests before you start your design. Then, find a few design magazines or books - your local library is a great resource for these - with some pictures of decorating schemes you feel are appropriate for the girl's age and your budget. Look at the pictures together to see what she finds appealing and use this as your starting point. Remember, this is her room and no matter how beautiful you think French Provincial style is, if she wants bold colors and a display of soccer trophies, you need to respect her interests and taste.
Ideas for Decorating Girls' Rooms
Looking for some ideas to get you started with decorating a girl's room? Once you've catalogued her interests, do some searches for bedding and accessories with those items. Young girls may like licensed characters (such as the wildly popular Disney Princesses or Hello Kitty). Other themes that are popular with many young misses include fairies, butterflies, ballerinas and animals.
Older girls may want to avoid specific decorating themes, feeling they are too juvenile. For older school aged females, focus on color and some thematic elements such as flowers, a garden or castle environment. Decorating for teen girls? Try a more traditional decorating style, with youthful colors and elements. For example, a classic teen girl's bedroom may use country farmhouse style to create a comfy cottage environment. Trendy teens may want bold geometric patterns with vibrant colors to carve out their personal space.
Many bedding and furniture catalogs geared toward children's designs will show complete themed rooms; these are a great resource as you look for ideas to pull your decorating scheme together.
Color, Color, Color
One of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to change a decorating scheme is to change the colors you use in a room. Paint is relatively inexpensive and even a novice can do a nice job of rolling paint onto the walls of a bedroom. Fresh paint livens the room and can change the character of a space quickly. Use a light color to make a small space look larger and brighter; white ceilings also make a room seem bigger. Need to make a cavernous room look cozy? Try a darker color on the walls. You can also apply paint to other elements in the room; wooden bookshelves and toy chests can be quickly repainted to give a visual focal point or to blend with a new decorating scheme.
Want to introduce color with some other easy elements? Put a new duvet cover or quilt on the bed - usually the largest furniture piece in the room - to instantly perk up the space. Make sure to add some throw pillows to the bed or chairs to highlight your accent colors. You do not need to purchase expensive bedcovers to get a fresh new look.
Worried she'll outgrow the pink walls she is begging for? Well, she might. But, realistically, she will tire of whatever color you put on the walls eventually. So, ensure she is committed and get your paint ready.
Inexpensive, Fun Art
Unlike more formal living space in your home, when you are decorating a girl's room you can have a lot of fun with the art and accessories. Even better, you do not have to spend a lot of money to have great artwork on a girl's walls.
- Framed posters: Most girls are perfectly content with framed posters of their favorite characters, animals or themes. Posters are available at local art stores, frame shops and online for very reasonable prices. Shop around for frames and watch for good sales.
- Book art: Does your daughter have a favorite illustrator or artist? Buy an extra copy of a book with her favorite art and carefully use an Exacto knife to cut out pages. Matte and frame them for quick artwork.
- Other sources: Art is everywhere. You can frame a beautiful piece of wrapping paper, a lovely textile or greeting cards for instant artwork to hang on a girl's wall.
- Make your own art: Use shadow boxes to make art out of your daughter's favorite momentos or frame her paintings or sketches to personalize her room. Make a collage of her favorite images or embroider a custom wall hanging.
Where to Buy Decor for Girls
Shopping for a girl can be a lot of fun, and it's a great way for a mother and daughter to spend time together. Even if you decide to shop online, your little one (or big one, depending on her age) can sit at the computer and browse websites with you so she can be involved with picking out the decor for her room. good resources for decorating a girls room include:
Let Her Creativity Shine
There are endless decorating options for girls of all ages. No matter what your daughter is into, you should be able to find decor that will make both of you happy. Just remember to include your daughter's opinions in the decorating process. A bedroom should be a reflection of one's personality, interests and creative spirit.
